DRASTIC DEMANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1920, Page 4

DRASTIC DEMANDS.

made by waterside workers,

By Telegraph— Special to Jfew% ' w Wellington, Last Night. The New Zealand Welfare Wua points out that the main waterside dei wands read as follows:— Hour* of employment: Ordinary time, 8 a.m to 4 p.m., overtime 4 to 5 and 0 to 8, at time in i ft , Tates - Special overtime, Bto 10, double time rates. No work after 10 p.m , unless when finishing a vessel, when work may go till 11 p.m. Saturday: All work to cease nt noon between Sunday midnignt and 8 on Monday morninir. nav« ment at double overtime, with a mlnii mum of 6 hours. The rates of paylfoi/ manded show a 6d increase on ordinary* time, but with the overtime and special overtime the minimum increases range at fid, lOd, and Is lOd per hour, while the maximum mtes range at 1» Id, 1» lid and 3s 4d' per hour. la ' The increased scale of rates demanded vary little at each chief port. .Work for a fraction of an hour fa counted as a full hour.

Nine holidays in the year are provided, on which work must be paid-€undaw, Christmas Day, and Good Friday, treble ordinary overtime rate, with a minion, of 8 hours, except that men fairing aw hues, whose is to be four hours: general holidays, double overtime till 6, ua treble thereafter. Men ordered to commence at 11 a.m. od Saturday to receive two hours' toy to noon. Men ordered back after meal! hour, ordinary time, or the following morning, to receive a minimum pay tori two hours and overtime. ■ , Thl Ls ew Zealand Welfare leagoi asks, What do these demands meant Th# Federation are demanding ekortwS mg the ordinary hours to 39 weekly, lim« iting overtime work by a tremendooa increase of rates, the stoppage of night work at 11 p.m., whether ships are clear- . or greatly increased pay for an increasing number of men in gangs, the reduction of loads handled. The League asks, how long is the public patience to be taxed ? The shipping compan* lea andthe Federationmuatputthelnheads together to settle the dispute. The pub< lie has to pay, and has no hearing, ah though a settlement increases, the cost of living. The presentation of such drai* tic demands emphasises the justice of the League's demand that such a conference should be public and open to the ss, as the public is the moat interested party. The time is past for a private settlement of such a vital matter,